Becoming a Commissioned Ruling Elder

THE PRESBYTERY CPM

• Provides materials to congregations to help elder members consider pursuing CRE training and commissioning.Receives and reviews applications from CRE aspirants and, if appropriate, guides them through training and preparation for a CRE. The CPM will follow the current process through which they receive and examine those seeking to enroll as Inquirers in preparation for ordained teaching elder/ministers and in accordance with the requirements of the Book of Order, G-2.0601 and 2.0603-2.0603-2.0607, a.b. including examining a CRE applicant regarding they personal faith and motives for seeking the commission. The CPM will require a career assessment by Midwest Ministry Development Service or an approved alternative upon request of the CRE applicant submitted to his/her liaison. This must be completed within one year or the Seeking Phase shall be terminated.
• The CPM will ask the applicant to address inadequacies in any area before recommending further preparation. Upon satisfactory completion of this phase of seeking and exploration, the applicant will be authorized by the CPM to move on to the next phase of learning and preparation as a CRE Trainee (CRET).

• Reviews available CRE training programs from other presbyteries, seminaries, colleges, etc. and provides an authorized list of available programs to candidates. CPM will review and approve independent study arrangements and other Presbytery-sponsored training programs as requested by a CRE Trainee.
• Will meet with the CRET at least annually through this phase to review his/her progress and determine other needs or future plans.
• Will provide a written final examination, hear a sermon preached by the trainee, and interview they for readiness to be commissioned to a field of service or congregation. (Book of Order, G-2.1002). Upon successful completion of the final exam and interview by the CPM, the CPM will designate the CRET an Eligible Commissioned Ruling Elder (ECRE) and ready to be considered for commissioning and will notify the COM.

The Session (and/or the PNC) of a Congregation Employing a CRE:

• The Session or Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) consults with the COM considering the appropriateness of seeking a CRE to serve their congregation and/or the particular field of service.
• The Session or PNC reviews PIFs, interviews the ECRE candidates, checks references, and through the COM arranges for a neutral pulpit for the candidate if they wish to consider commissioning that candidate.
• If the Session, at the recommendation of the PNC, invites the ECRE to be employed by the congregation, the Session will draw up a Covenant Agreement between the candidate and the congregation specifying duties to perform, the time expectations, and terms of the employment including compensation, benefits, vacation, study leave, etc. [See Covenant Agreement with Commissioned Ruling Elders in the Appendix.]
• The Session will then request COM to recommend to the Presbytery that the ECRE candidate be commissioned to the congregation or field of service as a Commissioned Ruling Elder (CRE)as specified in the Covenant Agreement. The Agreement will be reviewed annually by the COM including any subsequent salary adjustments during the term of the commission.
• The Session will request the COM to recommend to the Presbytery that the CRE be authorized to perform certain additional designated responsibilities. (Book of Order, G-2.1001)
• The Session will consider a service of recognition welcoming the CRE to their congregation and acknowledging the Presbytery’s Service of Commissioning. [See the Service of Recognition of Commissioning for Congregations in the Appendix.]
• At the conclusion of the initial term of the commission, if the Session of the church and the CRE desire to renew the commission, they will make a request to the COM three to six months prior to expiration for renewal. A COM representative will review the commission in a meeting with the CRE, the Session, and its moderator (if not the CRE), and will make a recommendation to the COM for action by the Presbytery.

1. administer the Lord’s Supper;
2. administer the Sacrament of Baptism;
3. moderate the session of the congregation under the supervision of, and when invited by, the moderator of the session appointed by the Presbytery;
4. have voice in meetings of the Presbytery;
5. have a vote in meetings of the Presbytery;
6. perform a service of Christian marriage when invited by the session or other responsible committee and when allowed by the state;
7. may be appointed by the Presbytery as moderator of the session to the church to which they is commissioned.

THE ECRE CANDIDATE

• Will complete a Personal Information Form (PIF) for distribution to the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) or Session of a congregation considering the service of a Commission Ruling Elder. [This form can not be entered online but will be distributed by paper or email.]
• Will only distribute his/her PIF to congregations in the Presbytery of Detroit as recommended and approved by the COM to receive PIFs of CREs.
• Will be prepared to interview and preach for sessions or PNCs of congregations that may be considering CREs.
• Once commissioned to a particular congregation or field of service, the CRE should see that they meets regularly with his/her assigned mentor and supervisor. An annual consultation and review between the CRE and the mentor and supervisor will be reported to the COM.
• The CRE is encouraged to participate in continuing education and may consult with they mentor and supervisor for particular recommendations.

• Consults with congregations considering the appropriateness of seeking a Commissioned Ruling Elder to serve their congregation and advises congregations calling candidates on appropriate levels and forms of compensation and benefits.
• Maintains a listing of ECRE candidates available to be commissioned by the Presbytery and, when appropriate with a congregation, recommends particular available ECRE candidates to the congregation. (Book of Order, G-2.1001)
• Upon request of the Session of a congregation, the COM recommends to the Presbytery that an
  Committee on Preparation for Ministry Policies
  Eligible Commissioned Ruling Elder candidate be commissioned by the Presbytery to a particular congregation or field of ministry, based on the approved Covenant Agreement with Commissioned Ruling Elder. [See Covenant Agreement in the Appendix.]
• Annually reviews the Covenant Agreement between the CRE and the congregation.
• At the request of the Session, the COM may recommend that the Presbytery authorize the CRE to perform particular additional responsibilities. (Book of Order, G-2.1001) The COM may require some additional training prior to recommending the granting of these additional responsibilities.
• Recommends to the Presbytery at the request of the Session that a CRE commission be terminated or renewed when appropriate. (Book of Order, G-2.1001)
• Assigns a mentor and supervisor to the CRE and through the mentor and supervisor annually reviews the work of the CRE. (Book of Order, G-2.1004) [See Annual CRE Review Form in Appendix.]
• Provides for a regular periodic gathering of CREs serving in congregations for support, education, and spiritual enrichment.
• Provides a model Covenant Agreement for use by congregations calling CREs. [See Covenant Agreement with Commissioned Ruling Elders in the Appendix.]
• Provides resources to congregations for services of recognition of the CRE and the commissioning by Presbytery. [See the Service of Commissioning for CREs in the Presbytery of Detroit and the Service of Recognition of Commissioning for Congregations in the Appendix.]
• At the conclusion of the initial term of the commission, if the Session of the church and the CRE desire to renew the commission, they will make a request to the COM three to six months prior to expiration for renewal. A COM representative will review the commission in a meeting with the Session, its moderator and the CRE and will make a recommendation to the COM for action by the Presbytery.

• The mentor and supervisor will be a teaching elder/minister who is a member in good standing of the Presbytery of Detroit who is appointed by the COM to a relationship with the CRE. (Book of Order, G-2.1004). The mentor and supervisor may be the pastor serving as moderator of the Session of the commissioning congregation. When the moderator of the Session is not an installed pastor of the commissioning congregation or when the CRE is serving as moderator of the Session as approved by the Presbytery, the mentor and supervisor may be another pastor assigned by COM.
• The mentor and supervisor will meet regularly with the CRE and at least annually with the CRE and members of the Session of the commissioning congregation in conducting the annual review of the work of the CRE. The results of this annual review will be communicated to the CRE, the commissioning congregation, and the COM.